Hermione, I Did Love
by Lucidia Malfoy
Summary: I used to think that love was for idiots. But a certain someone shattered all of my beliefs.- Draco. I knew I’d find someone some day, but I never imagined it would be him-Hermione
1. Prologue

A/N: The inspiration for this fic came while I was listening to a song. "Iris," by the Goo Goo Dolls. If I get some reviews, I'll continue it. I'm _trying_ t keep them as 'in character' as possible, but I may slip. Just tell me if I do. 

NOTE: The main focus for now is Draco, but I _will_ switch POVS. 

*~Hermione, I Did Love~*

Prologue

~Draco~

I used to think that love was for idiots. Just some stupid emotion that was made up by some crazy god. I thought it was a sign of weakness, to love someone. In fact, I thought any kind of emotion was a weakness. My parents didn't love each other at all. They merely reproduced to keep the bloodline going. 

Purebloods were superior to Mudbloods, or muggle-borns, and muggles. Mudbloods and muggles were unneeded scum, placed on the earth for us to torment. 

My father taught me all of those things, and I believed them. I followed his dark ways and tried to prove that I was just as strong as he. I believed that we, the Dark Side, would win in the end. 

But my beliefs were all shattered by a certain someone. 

It was all her fault that I felt that annoying little emotion. It was her fault that I realized love was anything _but _a silly weakness. It was her fault I realized that Mudbloods and muggles had a place here too. It was her fault I betrayed my father, and everything he had ever taught me. And it was her fault that I learned to love. 

Because Hermione, I did love. 

~Hermione~

I always wanted someone to love, and love me back. I wanted someone to hold me just once, and tell me that he loved me. Reading all of the books that I do its hard not to avoid romances. I loved reading them, and I was always day-dreaming of someday finding my own person to love and hold. 

Mother was always encouraging me to love everyone. She always said not to let anyone get to you bad enough to hate them. Hate was "a weakness."

I knew I'd find someone some day, but I never imagined it would be him. I never imagined that I'd actually care about the one person that I'd ever hated. 

"My only love, sprung from my only hate," just like in the tale of Romeo and Juliet. 

I didn't imagine it, but it came true. 

And it was all because of him. 

_Iris_

_ And I'd give up forever to touch you   
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow   
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be   
And I don't want to go home right now _

_And all I can taste is this moment   
And all I can breathe is your life   
'Cause sooner or later it's over   
I just don't want to miss you tonight _

_And I don't want the world to see me   
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand   
When everything's made to be broken   
I just want you to know who I am _

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming   
Or the moment of truth in your lies   
When everything feels like the movies   
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive _

_And I don't want the world to see me   
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand   
When everything's made to be broken   
I just want you to know who I am _

_And I don't want the world to see me   
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand   
When everything's made to be broken   
I just want you to know who I am _

_I just want you to know who I am   
I just want you to know who I am   
I just want you to know who I am _


	2. A Collision

Chapter 1: A Collision 

~Draco~

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, which was damp with sweat. I was out on the Quidditch Pitch with the team, practicing some new moves. The sun was boring down on us hard that day, but we were determined that we would beat Potter's team this year. It was the last chance we had. And besides, Father had already threatened me in a few of his letters from Azkaban. I didn't fancy dealing with him if he ever escaped that blasted place, which I knew he would. The Dementors didn't get to him; after all, what happy thoughts did _he_ have?

I hovered above the stands to watch the team practice. They were getting good; we had met at my mansion every day the summer before for practice and workouts. All of the flab on Crabbe and Goyle was beginning to turn into muscle...

I chuckled to myself, thinking back on the sight of Potter and Weasley's faces when they saw them on the train the day before. It was definitely a glorious moment. Even _I would be scared to see those two monstrous goons coming at me. _

"Malfoy!" one of the team members shouted. I looked over in the direction of Michael Nott, who was panting heavily. "Haven't we practiced enough for today? We've been out here for four hours." 

I sighed. He was right; I was tired myself. We had all headed out there directly after classes that day. "All right, you lot!" I shouted. "Practice is over!" There were sighs of relief as we all swooped down onto the pitch and landed smoothly. Then we all headed to the showers. There were no girls on the team, luckily. 

"Practice is the same time tomorrow!" I yelled as we entered the locker room. There were a few groans, but I ignored them. 

~*~*~

When I finished showering, I walked back up to the Slytherin common room alone, polishing my Head Boy badge with the elbow of my sleeve. The sight of it made me inwardly groan. Being Head Boy meant that I'd be patrolling the halls every night with Head Girl. It wouldn't have been had, had it been another girl, but this year's Head Girl was the one girl I couldn't stand to look at. It was the one girl I hated most. She was a filthy little know-it-all Mudblood who took every chance she got to prove she was better than me and the rest of the world...Hermione Granger. 

I didn't look up as I turned a corner, and collided with something very solid. Something wet poured down the front of my robes, but other than that, I managed to stay afoot. "Watch where you're going!" I snapped and looked up to find whom I had hit. _Speaking of the devil, I thought. _

Sprawled out on the floor before me, along with parchments and books, was a very irritated-looking Granger. She sat upright and glared at me. "It was your fault, Malfoy," she hissed and began gathering her things up.  I stepped forward with a smirk and purposely tracked mud across a few of her papers, causing her whole face to go scarlet. "You inconsiderate _prick!!! Those are my research papers!" She got to her feet and pulled out her wand, pointing it directly at me._

I gave a hollow laugh. "Going to hex me, Granger?" I asked in an amused tone. "I'm sure Professor McGonagall will be happy to find out that you've done so, and _very happy to replace you." _

Just as I assumed, she just stood there staring at me; her eyes were full of pure hatred, and that only amused me more. "I'll get you, Malfoy," she said dangerously and lowered her wand. 

"Hold on while I tremble," I cooed in mock-terror. She didn't even look up at me, and I walked off with a smile on my face. It was always so easy to get her mad.

It wasn't until I reached the common room that I looked down and saw the black ink stains on my crisp, white shirt. 

~Hermione~

I scooped up all of my things carefully, tears stinging my eyes. My papers were ruined...All of those hours spent in the library that day, wasted. "Bloody menace," I muttered to no one as I slung my book bag over my shoulder. Unfortunately for me, all of the books I'd checked out from the library wouldn't fit inside it with my others, and I had to carry them in front of me. That was why I hadn't seen Malfoy when I turned that corner. 

When, at last, I managed to gather all of my books in my arms and get to my feet, I headed back for Gryffindor common room. I had to take careful little baby steps, and it felt as though I were tight-roping in some circus tent in front of thousands of people. They'd all gasp in horror with each little topple, then start applauding when I made it to the other end of the rope. Or in my case, the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. 

"Password?" I heard the Fat Lady say. 

"Frivolous Daisy," I answered. The portrait swung open, almost knocking me over, but I held myself up. When I saw the hole in the wall, I gave an exasperated sigh. They had to make it so small, didn't they? But I was used to it. Tactfully, I sat the books on the edge and shoved them inside without messing up the stack. Then I climbed in after them, and the portrait shut behind me with a thud. "Phew." I leaned over against the books to rest, glad that they hadn't tumbled, and they toppled over, spilling my parchments everywhere for the second time that day. I groaned; today just wasn't my day. 

When I reached for a piece of parchment, so did two other pairs of hands. I looked up to see Harry and Ron, who were chuckling. 

"Thanks," I told them appreciatively when we'd managed to get the books over to a desk in the corner of the cozy common room. 

"What happened?" Harry asked concerned. "You look...annoyed." 

I shrugged. "Just Malfoy, as usual. He completely ruined my research papers." I showed him the mud tracked parchments.

"Well, you _are a witch, Hermione. Use a cleaning charm," he said with a grin, obviously surprised that I hadn't thought of this. _

I was surprised as well, and was about to say so, but Ron sat down the last of the books on the edge of the desk and I forgot. Instead, I sat myself behind the mountain of books. I couldn't even see over the top, and I was amazed at myself for managing to even get through the corridors with all of them. "What do you _need all of these books for anyway?" Ron asked as he and Harry pulled a table up beside mine and began setting up a Chess board. _

"Research," I said simply and picked up one of the books. Truth be told, I had been studying the transformation of animagi for two years. I had a feeling I was on the verge of figuring it out. Of course I didn't tell _them _that; they'd use the ability for mischief, and I simply wanted the knowledge of knowing how to perform the transformation. I was positive I could manage it without tuning myself into something awful. After all, I wasn't the smartest person in our year for nothing. Speaking of which, being Head Girl had allowed me into the Restricted Section without question, leaving me free to gather as many books on the subject as I wished. The previous year I had borrowed Harry's Invisibility Cloak, telling him that I merely wanted to catch up on some late night reading. He was so gullible at times. 

I reached into my cloak pocket and pulled out a pair of reading glasses. My eye doctor said my vision had been altered because of all the reading I'd been doing, and he was the one that suggested I purchase some. I won't deny it; I _did need them...but _me,_ in glasses? I seriously doubted it, and I was planning on looking up a spell to correct my vision sometime soon. Glasses was just another thing for those awful Slytherins to tease me about, and the only time I planned on wearing them was in the Gryffindor common room. _

~*~

It seems as thought I had only skimmed through a few pages when I heard the clock dong nine o'clock. I pulled off my glasses and rubbed my temples, inwardly groaning. It was time for Malfoy and I to patrol the halls for any rule breakers. I shoved my glasses in my pocket and got to my feet, stretching both of my arms.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I told Harry and Ron. "Don't bother waiting up for me. You need your sleep." They nodded, but I knew they'd stay up and wait anyway. That fact made me feel a bit good about myself. At least I knew they cared. They each gave me sympathetic looks as I walked past them and out of the portrait. 

On my way to the Entrance Hall, where Professor McGonagall met with Malfoy and me every night before patrols, I passed a few students hurrying back to their common rooms before they got into trouble. Not in the mood to punish anyone, I merely gave them warnings and continued on my way. 

Professor McGonagall was already standing there with Malfoy when I arrived. "Good evening, Miss Granger," she greeted me with a nod. 

"Evening Professor McGonagall." Malfoy and I didn't even glance at each other.

"Tonight, you two will patrol the front grounds," she instructed. "Cover the greenhouses, the Quidditch Pitch, and be sure to circle the lake and the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The prefects will cover the rest." We both nodded in unison. "Any rule breakers will be reported to Filch immediately. Be on your way." She dismissed up with a wave of her hand, and reluctantly, I followed Malfoy out the front entrance. 

"I can't believe I got stuck with filth like you," he scowled ass soon as we were out of earshot. 

I snorted. "My thoughts exactly, Malfoy." 

He didn't say anything after that, but merely glared at me. I was grateful, too; for I wasn't in the mood to put up with him. 

It was cold that night, to be only in the beginning of September, and I tightened my cloak around myself. A slight mist had settled over the grounds, and I didn't feel comfortable walking out there with Malfoy at that time of night. Knowing him, he'd hex me and leave me out there for the werewolves to feast on. I kept a wary eyes on him the whole time.

~Draco~

I hated walking the grounds with Granger. For one thing, he kept shooting me these looks when she thought I wasn't looking, as thought she expected me to curse her any second. That, which I might add, didn't sound like too bad of an idea. But I wasn't that stupid. I'd lose my Head Boy position; not to mention get kicked out of school. Father wasn't around too make sure that I was helped out of any trouble that I may have gotten myself into, and I knew for a fact that Dumbledore didn't like me.

We patrolled the Quidditch pitch, the greenhouses, and the lake, and still hadn't seen any action by the time we made our way toward the Forbidden Forest. I had a horrible feeling that it would be like that for the rest of the year. 

But I was wrong. 

As we neared the edge of the forest, I could sense Granger tense up beside me. I smirked and said, "Scared Granger?" 

She shot me a glare. "About as scared as Dumbledore is of Voldemort." 

The sound of his name shot a chill down my spine, but she didn't flinch one bit, which surprised me. But I didn't let it show. "Mudblood Granger not afraid to say his name?" I drawled. She didn't look at me and I leaned over to hiss in her ear, "Well you should be because he's going to come after all of the little Mudbloods like you. And I'll be there to help him when he does." I had expected her to pull out her wand and aim it at me again, or at least slap me. But she didn't even try to harm me. 

She spun around to face me with a cold stare; if I wasn't mistaken, there were tears in her eyes as well. "I wouldn't doubt it, Malfoy! You'll be just like your father...Bowing down to Voldemort like he's some sort of god!" She started coming toward me, and I backed up. She was really scary when she got this mad. "He'll fill your little pathetic mind with all of these promises of power, and then drop you the minute he gets where he wants to be!" I accidentally tripped over something on the ground, and she towered over me angrily. "You'll be his slave! As lowly as a house elf, while the rest of us just sit back and laugh. And then when the Light Side wins, you'll rot in Azkaban Prison along with your no good father!" She gave a hollow laugh. "And you know what, Malfoy? I'll laugh just thinking about you rotting away in that cell..." 

Her voice went dangerously quiet with the last sentence, and when she finished it, she turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Draco lying on the ground to think about what she had said. 


End file.
